Crate.



M. D. DRAKE.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE us. 1916.

L mfifiu Patented July 10, 1917.

ll a u-ca a Lot MARSHALL D. DRAKE, ,OF CRESTWOOD, KENTUCKY.

CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, .1917.

Application filed June 15, 1916. Serial No. 103,893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL D. DRAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crestwood, in the county of Oldham and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to knockdown crates of the folding type; and it has for its object to provide a crate characterized as stated and embodying a simple, inexpensive and practical construction, the said crate being compactly held when folded for storage or shipment, and being strongly braced and fastened when set up for use, and being so designed that it is adapted to be conveniently handled, and yet is absolutely devoid of any projections such as are liable to be broken incidental to the placing and sliding of one crate on top of another.

Other objects of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claim. when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the crate constituting the best practical embodiment of my invention that I have as yet devised; the same being shown as set up, and with the upper unit fastened in place on the lower unit so that the crate is ready for shipment of fowls.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

With the exception of certain appurtenances hereinafter specified, my novel crate is preferably made of wood.

It comprises a bottom wall 1, rectangular in configuration, end ledges 2 fixed to and rising from the bottom wall, folding end sections 3 hinged at 4 to the inner upper corners of the ledges 2, folding side sections 5, hinged at their inner lower corners to the upper side of the bottom wall 1, as indicated by 6, and a detachable top section 7. By reason of the relative arrangement of the side sections 5 to the bottom wall 1 and the ledges 2, it will be manifest that said side sections are capable of being swung inwardly and flat against the bottom wall so as to rest with their upper sides flush with the upper edges of the ledges 2. From this it follows that the end sections are adapted to be swung inwardly and arranged parallel with and on the side sections 5, so that the folded lower unit of the crate will take up very little space. It will be noticed that keepers 8, of suitable description, are provided on the side edges of the bottom wall 1, while similar keepers 9 are arranged at the outer sides of the ledges 2. The end sections 3 are provided at their outer sides with keepers 10 while similar keepers 11 are arranged at the outer sides of the side sec tions 5.

The top section or upper unit of my novel crate, is made up of a rectangular frame 12, spaced slats 13 arranged on and fixed to opposite bars of said frame, transverse metallic bars 11 fixed to the underside of the slats and arranged with their ends spaced from the opposite side bars of the frame 12 and having angular portions adapted to function as guides, and a slidable metallic door 15 mounted and guided in said bars and adapted to control the opening 16 formed between the bars lat and certain of the slats 13. It will also be observed that the top section or upper unit is provided with a latch 17 arranged in a countersink 18 in one slat 13, and that the door 15 is provided at its upper side with a handle 19, arranged under the horizontal plane of the upper side of the top section or unit 7. The latch 17 is provided at its free end with a depending portion which is normally socketed in an aperture of the door 15 as shown in Fig. 2 to retain said door in its closed position. By virtue of the described arrangement of the door 15 and its handle 19, as well as the described arrangement of the latch 17 in the countersink 18, it will be noted that absolutely no projections are of fered at the upper side of the section or unit 7, such as are likely to be broken or impaired when one crate is slidable or otherwise roughly placed on another. The frame 12 of the upper unit or top section 7 is pro vided with straps 20 having apertures 21, the said straps being adapted to be connected to the keepers on the bottom wall 1 and the ledges 2 when the crate is knocked down or collapsed for storage or shipment, and being also adapted to be connected with the keepers on the end sections 8 and the side sections 5 when the crate is set up ready for use.

When my novel crate is set up ready for use it will be manifest that the side sections will rest between and brace the end sections,

and that the frame 12 of the top unit 7 will surround and confine and brace the side sections 5 and end sections 3. It will also be manifest that the said frame 12 constitutes a secure hand-hold for the proper handling of the crate. It will further be gathered that the metallic bars 14. of the top section or unit 7 serve when the crate is set up for use to rest between and against the side sections 5 of the lower unit so as to brace the said side sections and the lower unit as a whole and lend increased strength and durability to the crate as a whole. My novel crate is designed more particularly for the shipment of fowls; and it will be readily appreciated from the foregoing that notwithstanding its practical advantages including its capacity to be folded and placed in a small compass, the crate is simple and inexpensive in construction and embodies no delicate parts such as are likely to get out of order after a short period of use. It will also be noted that when the crate is set up for use and also when it is collapsed, the upper unit is securely connected with the lower unit in such manner that there is no liability of the upper unit being casually disconnected or displaced from the lower unit. I would have it understood, however, in this connection that I do not confine myself to the specific means disclosed for effecting connection of the upper unit with the lower unit.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patcut, is:

A knockdown crate comprising a lower unit, an upper unit, and means detachablysecuring the upper' unit on the lower unit; the lower unit being made up of a bottom wall, end ledges fixed to and risingfrom the bottom wall, foldable end sections hinged to the inner upper edges of said ledges, and foldable side sections hinged at their lower inner ed 'es to the bottom wall, and the upper unit eing made up of a frame adapted to surround and confine the foldable end and side sections of the lower unit, slats fixed to the upper side of said frame, transverse bars fixed to the underside of said slats and having their ends spaced from the side bars of the frame and bearing against the inner sides of the side sections of the lower unit, said bars serving in combination. with certain of the slats to form an opening, a door slidable in said transverse bars and arranged to control the opening in the upper unit, and a latch for saiddoor arranged in a countersink in one slat of the upper unit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARSHALL D. DRAKE.

Vitnesses:

CARL A. Sronss, R. N. GILMORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

